How to remove a deep scratch on a car: methods, technologies and tools

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Buying a car is always a joy. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to save the car from damage. Every day we are at risk on the road. Even an experienced driver can get a scratch on the body. This is a very embarrassing moment. But do not be upset, because today there are many ways to remove a deep scratch on a car. In this article, we will consider this issue in detail.

About pencil

A few years ago, pencils were a popular tool to eliminate scratches on the body. They can be found on sale now, but at a much lower price. What is the speci alty of a pencil from scratches for a car? This tool allows you to hide visible damage without painting. But you need to understand that the product does not eliminate the scratch, but only masks it.

No matter how many times the product is applied (in two or three layers), a scar will still remain on the body. However, it is possible to cover a light primer with it. Thus, the pencil is able to quickly andrelatively little money to mask the damage. But you need to understand that the product may differ in shade. This will be especially noticeable on a gray car, covered with metallic enamel, and on dark-colored vehicles. Therefore, even masking a defect with a pencil is not always possible.

Abrasive paste and polish

There is another way to clean a deep scratch on a car. To do this, we need an abrasive polish and a machine. Reviews say that this is a more effective method. After all, in this way you can better mask the defect and you can completely get rid of the scar. And after professional polishing, the area will be completely in one tone with the rest of the body surface. But it is advisable to do this only if only the top layer is damaged.

How to polish scratches on a car? For this we need to prepare:

• P2000 fine-grained sandpaper.
• Sprayer with water.
• Polishing machine.
• Abrasive paste.
• Napkins.

First you need to thoroughly wash the car (preferably not locally, but the whole). Next, put the car in the shade so that the metal does not bask in the sun. We process the defect with sandpaper previously moistened with water. After we apply a little paste on the circle and work with a polishing machine. Turnovers increase gradually. You don’t need to stay in one place for a very long time, otherwise there is a risk of overheating the varnish. Movement should be up and down and left and right. The area around the scratch is also treated. The polishing area should be washed frequently with water fromatomizer.

Combine pencil and polish

How to remove a deep scratch on a car if you want to hide the scar? With a deep defect, you can do the following. First use a pencil to mask scratches, and then smooth the area with an abrasive polish.

Before you paint over the area, you need to rinse it and thoroughly degrease it. Next, the product is applied with a brush. You have to wait until the paint dries. This takes about 20 minutes. But complete polymerization lasts a week. This is the time to not wash your car. Then you can already start polishing according to the above instructions.

If the defect is very deep or there are chips

What to do if the defect has reached the metal? In this case, the surface must be primed. Now there are even ready-made kits for the restoration of chips and deep scratches. They include:

• Normal and anti-corrosion primer.
• Degreaser.
• Acrylic paint.
• Clear lacquer.

How to use it? First you need to wash and dry the car. If the metal is rusty, it must first be treated with a converter. It is not recommended to grind a chip or scratch with abrasive sandpaper. The converter removes rust locally without harming the rest of the paintwork.

At the next stage, you need to degrease the surface and paste over the places around the defect with paper tape. First, an anti-corrosion primer is applied, and then a simple primer. Before usethe last one you need to make sure that the layer of the previous one is completely dry. Next, the first coat of paint is applied. When it dries, a second one is applied. At the final stage, the area is treated with transparent varnish.

Radical method - repainting

If there are a lot of scratches or you want to completely get rid of the damage, you can go for a radical method - repaint the vehicle. This work is painstaking, but effective. One of the difficult stages is the selection of paint for the car. We need to find the code. Where it is located? The paint code of the car is on a special plate, which is riveted to the body. For example, on the Daewoo Nexia, the plate is located in the front of the space under the hood. The paint code may be different (in the case of the Daewoo Nexia, the white color is marked 10L). Having learned it, we go to the auto enamel store. In such outlets, experts sometimes choose the paint for the car themselves. It is better to paint with a spray gun. If this is an inconspicuous area, you can buy a spray can with the right paint. Then everything is simple - cleaning, priming (if necessary), applying enamel in two or three layers and varnishing. Note that the most difficult color to choose is metallic silver. It has a lot of shades.

If the defect is on the plastic

Consider a situation where a scratch has formed on plastic. Usually, door cards and sill plates are covered with abrasions. To return the plastic to its former form, there are special restorers. These products can be found in the form of sprays and aerosols. restorer penetratesdeep into the scratch and fills the cavity with its composition. The composition also includes a polish.

Apply the restorer on a dry and fat-free surface. After that, they wait for it to dry (as a rule, it takes several minutes) and manually rub the remains with a napkin.

There is another (popular) way. To do this, we need a powerful hair dryer or a lighter. The essence of the method is simple - we heat the plastic to a temperature at which it begins to melt. Thus, it becomes like plasticine, and deep scratches are self-removing. But you need to act carefully so as not to melt the part completely and not burn through the adjacent elements (finishing, leather and fabric). The hair dryer method is safer in this case. However, for the effect, you will need not a home, but a powerful building hair dryer. Under the influence of temperature, scratches are literally tightened. It may not be possible to completely eliminate a deep defect, but it will be possible to mask it qualitatively.

If there is a scratch on the glass

This is perhaps the most unpleasant type of defect. Various abrasions significantly spoil the view and impair visibility, especially on the windshield. Glare can cause an accident. How to solve the problem with your own hands? To do this, we need a special polishing kit, which should include a nozzle, wheels, as well as a paste with cerium oxide.

Carefully wash the surface and wipe it dry. With the help of a marker, we mark scratches - it will be easier for us to work with them. Install on a drillnozzle and apply paste on the circle. You need to work with the tool at medium speed and without strong pressure. Otherwise, there is a risk of lens formation, which is even worse. You need to polish in small areas. Take breaks periodically so as not to overheat the glass. You need to wet it with water and wipe it dry. On average, polishing such defects lasts from 30 minutes to an hour. You need to focus on results. If there is still a scratch, we continue to work until it is completely eliminated.

Get rid of headlight scratches

The principle of operation here is the same as in the previous case. Sometimes it is enough to use toothpaste, but it is better to use specialized polishing kits. The sequence of actions is the same. First, we clean the area, degrease it, and then polish it with periodic pauses. In order not to damage the paintwork of the hood, bumper and grille, we paste over these parts with paper tape. Polish is an abrasive material, so if it accidentally gets on the enamel, significant transitions may appear.

If the defect is deep, you can pre-treat the area with a sandpaper that needs to be wetted with water. Next, you can start polishing. You need to work at medium speeds.

If plastic headlights are being polished, a layer of UV varnish must be applied. Otherwise, the surface will quickly become cloudy, as the protective layer was previously removed. It is recommended to place the machine in the sun during the polymerization process. You can't wash your car during the day either.

Conclusion

A scratch on a car is not a sentence yet. There are many ways to remove a deep scratch on a car. Everyone chooses the most suitable for themselves.